The Ding Moment

As much as I used to deny them, I now believe that those ding moments happen.

But I think that they are retrospective.

When I applied for my job in the NHS, I was asked the question, "What makes you want to work for the NHS?"

Now, as a well-prepared interviewee, I pre-empted this question, and only when I truly considered the answer did I have the ding moment.

I remembered driving back home, down a country lane on a bright autumn day. One of those days that provides an almost perfect ratio (ie 50:50) between the chlorophyll green and sky blue. Probably driving a little faster than the law states, whacking my little (now defunkt) KA around the bends and this song came on the radio.

I was driving from my local major hospital. I had decided to take a year out of university, following a failure on many accounts to secure an industrial placement as part of my degree. I realised that I didn't actually care about an industrial placement - I didn't want to work in industry anyway. This year out allowed me the opportunity to find out what actually turned me on.

Anyway, one of the possible ways forward I was testing was training as a Speech Therapist. In the style of a 16 year old desparately seeking some clarity on what A-levels they should choose, I rang up the hospital for some work experience. I spent the day talking to professionals, patients and touring the hospital.

And when I was driving home, as I say, this song came on. Now, it didn't strictly encompass my feelings (what song really does?). I didn't suddenly see what I wanted to be. I suddenly saw WHERE I wanted to be. The feeling of walking around the hospital as a member of staff ignited the spark I had been looking for.

Thats when I fell in love with idea of working in the health service.